GOOD TIMES! Still extremely impressed with the added scenes. While I occasionally miss them skipping some moment that I particularly loved in the book, I think it's worth it to get all these new perspectives and character moments, like the thing with Yoren :sob:. It's almost like getting book 'extras'...all the things that the books hint at but don't focus on because the characters aren't POV (like the Margarey/Loras/Renly dynamic). I'm really fond of Renly in the show...he's probably be a pretty good king in peacetime. Alas, it isn't peacetime.

Weren't those all Lanister soldiers this time around and not Goldcloaks? I'm also not sure how much the rank and file know since it's probably not a good idea to advertise the reason for baby slaughter. Anyway I'm sure it will come up later.

It was great that Tyrion planted information, but I almost expected the queen to hear from all three of them. Anyway the odds are good Varys and Baelish knew it was a ruse in the first place.

When I saw the Hill tribesmen with the Imp in the first episode I got a laugh, finally had some payoff to what kind of hell they would get up to."Cut his dick off and feed it to the goats.""There are no goats.""Then make do somehow!"

I knew Natalie Dormer was going to have at least one Sexposition scene this year, but damn they didn't dawdle with it.

Jesus H, Brienne is the tallest woman I think I've ever seen. Catelyn barely came up to her shoulder. Also, am I hearing things or do like half the character in the show pronounce it "Cat-uh-lyn Stark"?

I liked Yoren's story about his brother and him being the impetus for Arya's nightly prayer.

This has nothing to do with the actual show, except that I just looked up Maisie Williams, who plays Arya, on imdb and she just turned 15. Does that blow anyone else's mind? I thought she was maybe 11. And apparently Jack Gleeson, who plays Joffrey, is 19 or 20. I would have thought 15, if that.

You know, I know this is HBO so they want to push the limits, but I DID NOT need that scene with Joffrey and the prostitutes. Horrible. I hate him enough already, thanks, I don't need to be severely disturbed.

I know Tyrion thought about doing that in the books but if I remember correctly he did not. I'd think that Tyrion would be smart enough to know what Joffrey would do to girls who were utterly powerless, especially in private.

You know, I know this is HBO so they want to push the limits, but I DID NOT need that scene with Joffrey and the prostitutes. Horrible. I hate him enough already, thanks, I don't need to be severely disturbed.

Yeah, that was annoyingly unnecessary. We know Joffrey is a total shithead and that nothing is beyond him. The scene with Sansa proved that.

Does it make you uncomfortable to watch the show and get attached to so many characters know what fate has in store for them? I'm finding it increasingly difficult. Except for Joffrey, that sadist.

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LOVED the ending with the birth of shadow baby. Perfect. I wish there was a way they could show a little bit more of the backstory of Davos - I found myself explaining his importance to my husband. In fact, there's so much backstory that's important that isn't always conveyed, like just how insane the Mad King was and why Robert took over in the first place. I know this gets parceled out in drips and drabs in the books, but I wonder if we'll ever have a full on flashback episode.

I think a Jaime-centric episode would be a perfect time to have a nice, long flashback into the day he became "Kingslayer."

I agree the Joffrey + whores scene was entirely unnecessary. Are we supposed to be watching Ros slowly but surely develop severe PTSD? It's hard to believe Tyrion could make such a massive miscalculation. Also, I enjoy the little glimpses of the Hound that we get; I always hope for a little more. Meanwhile, every second Roose Bolton is on screen, I get the willies. The Flayed Man sigil is more than adequately creepy.

It was kind of hilarious how much like a ranting crazy person Dany appeared at the gates of Qarth. Also, Jorah Mormont is still way hotter than he ought to be.

Arya's list! I am a little ashamed of how happy I was to see her start it. Tywin sure entered Harrenhal like a boss. If she were anyone else, he probably would have won her eternal loyalty in that moment.

They certainly didn't need that Joffrey scene...although I guess it did its job, assuming its job was making me leap up from the couch yelling, "Oh god oh no!" and run to the bedroom until the scene was over.

Much of this ep was pretty unpleasant, but that's going to be kind of par for the course, so I should get used to it. Now that they've renewed for season 3, I should just start numbing myself to the horror now, I guess.

LOVED that scene with Tyrion manipulating Lancel. Lancel is such a perfect idiot teenager, and Dinklage kicked ten kinds of acting ass in just a couple minutes. He also owned that scene were he rescued Sansa: "That was a threat. See the difference?"

Also loved the demon baby birth, which was EXACTLY how I pictured it...so horrifying and creepy.

Roose Bolton is also exactly like how I pictured him. :shudder: Also like the casting for Xaro, a character I've always been amused by. And I'm excited about the production design for Qarth...looks Indian-inspired, which is always a winner with me.

So, am I misremembering, or are they changing more stuff from the book? Like, who is this girl Robb was talking to? And I don't remember Littlefinger delivering the 'prisoner swap' terms to Catelyn...or did that just happen "offscreen" in the book? Also, in the book, wasn't Arya made cupbearer to Bolton? I don't remember Tywin even being at Harrenhall (which, btw, fantastic production design). And if they are changing these things, to what purpose? Not that I remember Roose playing that much of an active role until later books...so maybe they are saving their firepower with that character for later? Or am I totally misremembering things?

Charles Dance is so effortlessly badass and awesome. Sexy, too, even though I really hate Tywin. And yeah, Jorah. Crazy hot. How do actors do that insane charisma thing? It's like a superpower.

I actually have a theory about what they are doing with Ros, and it isn't a happy one.

Spoiler:

I think they are going to substitute her character for that whore that Tyrion used as 'cover' to see Shae; the one that Cersei found out about and had beaten and held hostage. I think they are using Ros to 'personify' a number of the different prostitute characters, but I think that is specifically where they are going with it.

TiffanyNichelle wrote:I was so relieved when Joffrey just wanted Queen Ros of the Whores to beat the crap out of the girl with the stick and not something else.

Oh, really? I thought it was the 'something else'. I was sure it was going to be, which is why I had flashbacks to "Seven", got nauseous, and raced out of the room. Phew. Not that beating is good, either...

TiffanyNichelle wrote:I was so relieved when Joffrey just wanted Queen Ros of the Whores to beat the crap out of the girl with the stick and not something else.

Oh, really? I thought it was the 'something else'. I was sure it was going to be, which is why I had flashbacks to "Seven", got nauseous, and raced out of the room. Phew. Not that beating is good, either...

I thought it was going to be something else too, and think it was directed that way intentionally. It's part of why I found that scene so over-the-top disturbing.